Lots of thoughts on this for me on this topic...probably won't share most of them.

Question for those who bring up the point about "supporting your local fly shop". Would you buy a rod or pair of waders at your local shop, knowing that you can get the same thing for hundreds less at Costco?

The answer is on the Blanton site. Jamie Lyle, the West Coast Sage rep responds with:

Woody,

I can only speak for Sage and tell you that there was a missing shipment of rods destined for an authorized reseller that has somehow ended up at Costco. It is a very limited quantity and they are definitely not an authorized dealer for Sage. I suspect it is the same for Simms.

I spoke with representatives from both Simms and Sage today. Both assured me that this was a ‘grey market’ deal where an overseas distributor purchased product that was intended for other markets then intercepted the shipments, and routed them to Costco.

SIMMS: Simms has authorized their Washington sales rep to purchase any and all remaining Simms products at full retail as they have no desire to be in Costco. This is probably already done.

SAGE: While not as decisively as Simms, have also assured me that they are ‘selectively’ purchasing the remaining inventory and also have no desire to sell their product in Costco stores.

I stopped by the Worley Bugger Fly Shop this afternoon as they carry both Sage and Simms. The Simms rep talked with Steve Worley and confirmed that Simms will be pulling out all the product from Costco shelves. There was a reasonable explanation for the mishap, similar to some of the ideas posted here. He had e-mailed and got a response from the Sage rep and it appears there was not going to be immediate action from Sage to pull their product.

So everyone's knickers are in a twist because Sage and Simms products were spotted at Costco. How different is that than being able to buy products from the same two manufacturers at Cabelas? Splitting hairs over the difference between Costco and Cabelas is kinda like insisting your teenage daughter is only a little bit pregnant.

K

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Totally agree Kent, what's amazing is the total response in one day, I know the rivers are blown but a lot of lakes are open! Just wait until the Class 1 1/2 river pontoons go on sale next month. Everybody will posting and sending PM's to their buddies about the great buck 99 sale going on. The only griping then will be that Costco is so far away from home.

As I continue to think about it, really, I think we all would be astounded to see the profit margins many of these outdoor "manufacturers" make. It's hard for me to call them manufacturers, since most of them don't "make" what some poorly paid Vietnamese child sews their label on. Probably costs more to unload the containers at Port of Long Beach or Port of Seattle with union labor than it does to buy the raw materials, assemble, crate, and ship! And while Sage assembles their high end rods in the US (do we know that?) Simms sure doesn't make their waders here. So, what you're paying $500 for more than likely cost Simms....? If they were worried about "the brand," they would worry about the quality. But why worry when it costs so little you can easily replace it.

I think of my good friend, Dave Lewis, who would rail about guarantees for rods. I used to argue with him, saying I loved the Patagonia guarantee until it dawned on me that the guarantee cost them far far far less than it would to actually make a quality product. Make sense?

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I remember reading, about 6 or 7 years ago, that nike's median priced shoe cost them about $7.60 to put on the shelf. Haven't worn a pair since! But hey, I'm a cheap f*cker!

Lots of thoughts on this for me on this topic...probably won't share most of them.

Question for those who bring up the point about "supporting your local fly shop". Would you buy a rod or pair of waders at your local shop, knowing that you can get the same thing for hundreds less at Costco?

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ABSOLUTELY, and I have. Bought two BIIx rods at the Silver Bow Fly Shop. I could have saved $317 on those two rods buying them online - new. I chose to support Sean. I don't even know how that place online was able to sell them cheaper. I thought Winston didn't allow that kind of thing.

I buy a few flies there when I don't have time to tie, and supplies that I could get at "the box" stores. No, I'm not loaded but I support Sean when I can. They supply things that a big store can't.

I caught the fish of a lifetime last year, and had two back-to-back double digit stealhead days, they shared in my joy as I retold the stories. Can't get that online or at Costco.....but you can at a local fly shop.

The other fly shop, Westslope Fly Shop does the same. You won't find the kind of guys, Jesse and Jon from Westslope at Costco either. 98.7% of the time you're going to save maybe a few dollars on most of your purchases at a box store.

I’m not sure why anyone would be outraged at this. We all lament the damage done to the independent fly shops by the economy & wholesaler’s policies. Yet, most independents now have their own web sites, these sites inevitably poach consumers who would otherwise visit their local fly shop for their needs. I can think of two site sponsors who offer to pay the tax on internet orders. Who is this policy aimed at? Certainly not customers from out of state.

At times we've all talked about "buying local" as being some kind of moral imperative, that the responsibility of our local shops survival is on us. I’m don’t believe that’s wholly correct. One could say they're cannibalizing themselves, and they'd be right.

I support the local shops because I genuinely like the experience of dealing with a small business. That rapport, banter, service and knowledge will never be replaced by an online store or mega store. The day that's lost will be the end of the small shop.

I just realized the irony of posting this on this board as I looked up and see a Sierra Trading Post ad for big savings on Lamson, Sage, etc...

That price tag you see for the waders - Simms is going into each store and buying them back at FULL RETAIL.

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So let me get this straight...Simms is going to every Costco store that has these...and of course they don't know which stores because they weren't involved. Maybe they're just calling every Costco...oops, forgot you can't get anyone on the phone at Costco. Must be flying around the country to Costco stores with loads of cash - since Costco doesn't take credit cards - buying it all up. Then they're putting it in their carry on luggage and hauling it all back to Bozeman...to sell it at a discount, because it's now used. No real flyfisher would want waders that had ever been in a Costco.

I hope Costco still has some pairs left. I asked the tooth fairy to leave me $399 under my pillow.

How many of the people complaining about this have ever taken a picture of the fish they caught on their $799 z-axis with a camera that was not purchased at their local camera store. It must have really cheapened the experience. Or maybe that's okay since our hobby is flyfishing, not photography.

How many of the people complaining about this have ever taken a picture of the fish they caught on their $799 z-axis with a camera that was not purchased at their local camera store. It must have really cheapened the experience. Or maybe that's okay since our hobby is flyfishing, not photography.

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If there were camera shops that specialized in just cameras (and gadgets that go with photography) then yes, it would be a shame to buy online or at a box store - thus hurting the small camera shops. Oh wait, that's already happened. Too late.

You've made the point for those in favor of supporting local fly shops with your comment. ANY specialized "Ma and Pa" store is hurt by the big box stores. Very few camera shops around anymore. There were three in my city, gone now because they simply could not compete.

So let me get this straight...Simms is going to every Costco store that has these...and of course they don't know which stores because they weren't involved. Maybe they're just calling every Costco...oops, forgot you can't get anyone on the phone at Costco. Must be flying around the country to Costco stores with loads of cash - since Costco doesn't take credit cards - buying it all up. Then they're putting it in their carry on luggage and hauling it all back to Bozeman...to sell it at a discount, because it's now used. No real flyfisher would want waders that had ever been in a Costco.

I hope Costco still has some pairs left. I asked the tooth fairy to leave me $399 under my pillow.

How many of the people complaining about this have ever taken a picture of the fish they caught on their $799 z-axis with a camera that was not purchased at their local camera store. It must have really cheapened the experience. Or maybe that's okay since our hobby is flyfishing, not photography.

Get over it...buy it, don't buy it...leave everyone else alone.

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It is a discussion about something someone saw. Nothing wrong with a healthy discussion, even better when not everyone agrees. More angles to consider, more perspective, more conversation. That is all good. More items being taken off the floor of my local shop because they are being mass marketed by the big box stores means that my local shop will have to alter its inventory game plan. Personally I don't like the idea. Successful shops will find a way to get by without carrying these items if available at Costco. My local shop just expanded, almost doubling the floorspace and wall hanging space. I guess if these items are available 15 miles away for less than he can afford to offer them I know what will no longer be in his inventory.